Flap closer



D. J. ROTH FLAP CLOSER Sept. 1, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6

Filed Feb. 7, 1962 .J Y mww T R WJ M wwA MW w United States Patent Ofice3,145,556 Patented Sept. -1, 1964 3,146,566 FLAP CLOSER Donald J. Roth,St. Paul, Minn, assignor to Benris Bro. Bag Company, Minneapolis, Minn,a corporation of Missouri Filed Feb. 7, M62, Ser. No. 171,740 7 Claims.(Cl. 53-374) This invention is a device for closing the flaps on acarton that is traveling on a conveyor. This device is employed withcartons being moved on a conveyor after they have passed a fillingstation. It is novel in having a pivoted hook and shoe arrangement whichcloses the leading flap on a carton and a traveling roller structurewhich engages and pushes closed the trailing flap by moving at a higherrate of speed than the carton moves on its conveyor. Specifically thetrailing flap closure means consists of a pair of spaced rotating meansand an endless means reeved around them. A break in the endless meansreceives the trailing carton flaps in a timed relationship and allows itto extend upward and into the path of the endless means which thenforces the flap shut by moving at a speed in excess of the conveyor.Still more specifically the trailing flap closing means consists ofspaced sprockets on a pair of spaced shafts and having chains reevedover them with shaft carrying rollers extending between the chains. Atone point in the chains, the shaft and/or the roller may be eliminatedcreating a break in the endless chain shaft roller structure into whichthe trailing edge of the carton fiap may project and thereby be engagedby the rollers and forced into a closed position.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel flapclosing structure.

It is another object of this invention to provide a flap closingstructure that is arranged almost entirely directly above the lineconveying a carton.

Another object of this invention is to provide a flap closure thatoifers very little resistance to the movement of the carton along theline.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a fiap closure thatpositively closes the trailing flap, with regard to the direction of themotion of the car-ton, without the necessity for slowing down orstopping the progression of cartons while this is done.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a flap closurethat applies closing forces almost exclusively parallel to the directionof travel of a carton being worked upon.

It is another object of this invention to provide a flap closure thatapplies flap closing forces at right angles to the fold lines of leadingand trailing flaps of a carton on a conveyor.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a flap closure thatis gentle in folding the flaps of a carton closed.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a flap closure thatcloses the trailing and leading flaps of a carton being conveyed afterthe side flaps are closed.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a flap closurethat permits very rapid conveyor speeds.

Other and further objects of the invention are those inherent andapparent in the apparatus as described, pictured and claimed.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, this inventionthen comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth indetail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these beingindicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which theprinciples of the invention may be employed.

The invention will be described with reference to the drawings in whichcorresponding numerals refer to the same parts and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the flap closure mechanism with portionsthereof omitted for simplicity and hidden elements shown with brokenlines;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of a fragment of the flap closuremechanism shown in a different position to illustrate the operation ofthe flap closing mechanism with a broken line representing the chaindrive;

FIGURE 3 is a view like FIGURE 2 except that the parts are shown in adifferent relative position illustrating the operation of the flapclosing structure;

FIGURE 4 is a still more fragmentary view of the flap closure shown in astill more advanced position;

FIGURE 5 is a view like FIGURE 4 with the carton completely closed; and

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the flap closure mechanism with portionsthereof broken away to illustrate its construction more fully and hiddenparts shown with broken lines.

Referring to the drawings and specifically first to FIG- URE l, the flapcloser, generally designated 10, is shown positioned adjacent to theconveyor 11 of a machine that fills cartons. The rails 11R of theconveying mechanism are spaced on either side of a chain 12 reevedaround a sprocket 14 which is driven in any suitable manner as by theshaft 15. A carton supporting pocket as shown at 16 provides a means bywhich the cartons such as the one 17 are supported on the conveyor 11and driven by the chain 16 at a constant speed around the machine track.

At the stage of proceedings in which we are interested, two of the flapsof the carton have already been folded in on the top of the carton andits contents and only the flaps 18, which is the trailing flap withreference to conveyor motion, and 19, which is the leading flap in thedirection in which the carton 17 is moving, remain to be closed. Prioralso to the operation of the flap closure illustrated herein, the twoflaps which have already been closed and the flaps 18 and 19 have hadglue applied to them by a non-inventive structure and therefore notdisclosed herein. This is the reverse of the usual flap closing orderand renders closing of the leading and trailing flaps more difiicult,because the two closed flaps must be held in place while flaps 18 and 19are being closed.

Turning now to FIGURE 6, the flap closer 10 will be seen to comprise apair of spaced shafts 2i? and 21 on each of which is a pair of spacedsprockets 22 and 24 on shaft 2%) and 25 and 26 on shaft 21. Around thesprockets 22 and 25 is reeved the chain 27 and a similar chain 28 isreeved around the sprockets 24 and 26. Supported between the chains is aseries of shafts such as the ones 29 on which are supported rollers asat 30. Shaft 21 is provided with a sprocket 31 which is connected via achain 32 to the sprocket 34. A safety shield 33 of suitableconfiguration covers the chains.

Sprocket 34 is supported on shaft 35 from reduction gear housing 36.Reduction gear housing 36 is connected to shaft 15 and poweredsimultaneously with the conveyor chain 12. The gearing of gear housing36 and the relationship between sprockets 34 and 31 and the sprockets 25and 26 (see FIGURE 1) is such that the chains 27 and 2% have a linearspeed somewhat greater than the linear speed of chain 12. Depending onthe installation requirements of the flap closure, this variation inspeed may be somewhat different from time to time, but in theinstallation illustrated herein the chains 27 and 28 have a linear speedapproximately two and one-half times the linear speed of chain 12.

As shown in FIGURE 1 at 37, one of the shafts 29 that extend between thechains 27 and 28 has been eliminated.

Likewise the shaft 298 is without a roller 36 on it. Since the conveyorchain 12 and the conveyor chains 27 and 28 are secured together by anon-slip or positive timing arrangemcnt, the chains 27 and 28 may betimed in connection with the movement of the pockets 16 and hence theboxes 1'7 on conveyor 11 to precisely co-ordinate therewith. As shown inFIGURE 1 the natural spring of the flap 13 causes it to tip up as far asthe rollers 29 will permit.

With the timing of the pockets 16 such that the opening 37 and therollerless shaft 298 arrive at the location of the pocket 16 as shown inFIGURE 1, the end of flap 18 tips up into the path of one of the rollers29 immediately to the rear of opening 37. Since the chains 27 and 28 aremoving more rapidly than chain 12, the rollers immediately following theopening 37 overtake the box 1'7, as it is moved along the conveyor 12 asshown partially in FIGURE 2 where flap 18 has been tipped up to a nearlyvertical position. Continuing movement of the chains and rollers causesflap 18 to be pushed down into an entirely fiat position in time for thefree edge thereof, to fit under the shoe 3% and to be held down fiatthereby, as shown in FIGURE 3. At the same time that this rollerstructure acts first to close the trailing flap, it also acts to holddown the previously closed side flaps.

As disclosed herein, the flap closure closes only one fiap in eachcomplete revolution. Since it travels at a speed of two and one-halftimes that of the conveyor 12, the chains 27 and 28, measured over therollers 3d, are two and one-half times as long as the distance betweenthe centers of the pockets carrying the boxes 17 and 17A in FIGURE 3.The speed of the fiap closer relative to the conveyor may be generalizedto be the quotient of the distance between flap receiving breaks in theendless means of the flap closer divided by the distance between cartoncenters on the conveyor.

This form of fiap closure moves parallel to the direction of conveyormotion and applies closing force at right angles to the fold line offiap 18. It is also very gentle in its action which permits high speedoperation of the device without distorting or damaging the carton flaps.Actually the relative velocity between the rollers 30 and the carton islow. For this reason weaker boxes and ones with perforated tear lines orretuck slots may be closed without injury even at rather high conveyorspeeds.

Referring again to FIGURE 2 momentarily, the flap is, or the leadingfiap, as well as the two side flaps, are held down by rollers 29 as thebox 17 proceeds in the direction of the travel of the conveyor. Justbeyond the chain roller portion of flap closure structure ltl, there isa pivoted hook 39 which pivots about shaft 40 that in turn is supportedby arm 41. Arm 41 is mounted on a bracket 42 as shown in FIGURE 6 whichis connected to a stationary portion of the machine such as gear housing36. As the box 17 is moved progressively along the conveyor 11 theleading flap 19 enters its leading edge into the pivoted hook 39.Continued movement of box 17 as shown in FIGURE 3 causes the pivotedhook to be pivoted upwardly and in so doing lifts the leading edge offlap 19.

A further movement of the box by the conveyor eventually causes the plow43 to engage the leading flap 19 near its point of hinge joinder to box17 as shown in FIGURE 4. Still further movement of box 17 under theinfluence of conveyor 11 produces an interaction between the box flapand the plow causing the flap to be completely closed as shown in FIGURE5. Plow 43 is also supported by arm 42 via vertical support 44. The plow43 has a holddown rail or shoe 45' extending beyond it so that once bothflaps are closed, as shown in FIGURE 5, the holddown rail continues tohold the flaps in this position until the conveyor carries the carton toa conventional pressure roller area which assures a good seal of theflaps.

As box 17 is having its leading flap 19 lifted by the pivoted hook 39, asecond box 17A is proceeding into position under the box-flap closurewith flap 19A extending forward and flap 18A extending rearward. This isthe posi- 4 tion of the box shortly before it reaches the positionillustrated in FIGURE 1 where the cycle is repeated and the fiaps of thebox closed.

As flap 19 passes the vertical point and tends to be pushed down fiat byplow 43 as shown in FIGURE 5, the pivoted hook 39 can swing back to itsprevious vertical position as shown in FIGURE 5 ready to receive thefiap 19A of the next carton in line on the conveyor 11.

It is apparent that many modifications and variations of this inventionas hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spiritand scope thereof. The specific embodiments described are given by wayof example only and the invention is limited only by the terms of theappended claims.

What is claimed.

1. An apparatus for closing the flap of a carton or box comprising incombination, a conveyor consisting of a plurality of carton supportmembers spaced longitudinally from one another and mounted upon saidconveyor for movement therewith to carry said cartons along apredetermined path, a fiap closing structure positioned upon saidapparatus directly over the path taken by said support members whentraveling upon said conveyor including an endless flap closing meansmounted upon said flap closing structure and adapted to contact saidfiap as the later moves with said container support members beneath saidendless means, and said endless means also including an opening thereinadapted to receive said flap as the endless means moves relative to saidcarton, driving means for said endless means and for said conveyormeans, timed means for synchronizing the movement of said conveyor andsaid endless 5621115 whereby said opening will move relative to saidcarton to receive a trailing flap thereof, a hook means pivoted to saidapparatus above said path and positioned relative to said endless meansin the direction of movement of said support members, said hook beingadapted to pivot about a horizontal axis extending transversely of thepath of movement of said conveyor, the lower end of said hook beingpositioned to engage the free end of a leading flap of said carton toraise the same as the carton passes below said hook, and a plow memberpositioned on the opposite side of said hook from said endless means andlocated at a distance therefrom slightly greater than the pivot radiusof said hook.

2. A fiap closing device for use with a carton conveyor on which cartonshaving flaps requiring closing are conveyed after being filledcomprising in combination an endless conveyor means including aplurality of spaced parallel rollers mounted for rotation thereon, saidendless conveyor means being mounted above said carton conveyor, saidendless conveyor means having an opening therein consisting of one ofsaid rollers being omitted from said endless conveyor means, saidendless conveyor means being operatively connected to said cartonconveyor for movement at a speed greater than the speed of movement ofsaid conveyor, said endless conveyor means and said carton conveyorbeing synchronized with each other whereby a carton flap trailing themotion of the carton will coincide with the opening in the endlessconveyor means, a hook member pivotally mounted at the outlet of saidendless means in downwardly depending position for pivotal movementabout a horizontal axis extending transversely of the movement of saidcarton conveyor, said hook being adapted to engage the free end of aleading flap to move the same upwardly as the hook rotates about saidpivot, and a plow member spaced toward the outlet end of the apparatusfrom the hook at a distance slightly greater than the radius of pivotalmovement of the hook member.

3. A box or carton closing apparatus comprising in combination aconveyor consisting of a plurality of carton support members spacedlongitudinally from one another and mounted upon said conveyor formovement therewith to carry said cartons along a predetermined path, anendless flap closing means positioned upon said apparatus directly overthe path taken by said supporting members when traveling upon saidconveyor, said endless means including a pair of spaced shafts, a pairof spaced sprockets on each of said shafts, a chain sup ported by beingreeved around one sprocket on each of said shafts, a second chain reevedaround the other sprockets on each of said shafts, shafts extendingbetween and secured to said chains at regular intervals along theirlengths, rollers rotatably mounted on each of said shafts, a break insaid shaft and roller structure consitsing of the omission of a shaftand roller at one point along the length of said chains and the omissionof a roller from a shaft adjacent the point at which both a shaft androller are omitted, driving means for said endless means and for saidconveyor means, means for synchronizing the movement of said conveyorand said endless means whereby the latter moves at a somewhat greaterspeed than said conveyor, a hook means pivoted to said framework abovesaid path and located relative to said endless means in the direction ofmovement of said support members, said hook being mounted for pivotalmovement about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the path ofmovement of said conveyor, the lower end of said hook being adapted toengage the free end of a leading flap of said carton to raise the sameas the carton passes below said endless means, a plow member spaced onthe opposite side of said hook from said conveyor at a distancetherefrom slightly greater than the pivot radius of said hook.

4. In a box or carton closing device, a conveyor consisting of pocketssupported by rails and secured to a chain reeved around a sprocket, aflap closing structure positioned directly over the path of said pocketswhen conveyed by said conveyor, a pair of spaced shafts, a pair ofspaced sprockets on each of said shafts, a chain supported by beingreeved around one sprocket on each of said shafts, a second chain reevedaround the other sprockets on each of said shafts, shafts extendingbetween and secured to said chains ,at regular intervals along theirlengths, rollers rotatably mounted on each of said shafts, a break insaid shaft and roller structure consisting of the omission of a shaftand roller at one point along the length of said chains and the omissionof a roller from a shaft adjacent the point at which both a shaft androller are omitted, positive driving means interconnecting one of saidspaced shafts with the driving means for said conveyor in timedrelationship, a first plow rigidly mounted at the outlet end of saidflap closing structure for holding said trailing flap in a closedposition, a support arm extending upwardly from said first plow means, apivot positioned at the upward end of said arm, a flap closing hookextending downwardly from said pivot a slight distance below the lowersurface of said first plow means whereby the free edge of a leading flapwill be engaged by said hook means, and a second plow spaced from saidhook in the direction of travel of said carton a distance slightlygreater than its radius of pivoting.

5. In a box or carton closing device, a conveyor consisting of pocketssupported by rails and secured to a chain reeved around a sprocket, aflap closing structure positioned directly over the path of said pocketswhen conveyed by said conveyor, a pair of spaced shafts, a pair ofspaced sprockets on each of said shafts, a chain supported by beingreeved around one sprocket on each of said shafts, a second chain reevedaround the other sprockets on each of said shafts, shafts extendingbetween and secured to said chains at regular intervals along theirlengths, rollers rotatably mounted on each of said shafts, a break insaid shaft and roller structure consisting of the omission of a shaftand roller at one point along the length of said chains and the omissionof a roller from a shaft adjacent the point at which both a shaft androller are omitted, a hook pivoted to said conveyor beyond said trailingflap closing structure in the direction of travel of said conveyor, aplow spaced from said hook a distance slightly greater than its radius 6of pivoting and positive driving means interconnecting one of saidspaced shafts with the driving means for said conveyor in timedrelationship.

6. An apparatus for closing the flap of a carton or box comprising incombination, a conveyor having carton sup porting means thereon disposedlongitudinally of said conveyor for movement therewith to carry saidcartons at a predetermined spacing along a predetermined path, a flapclosing structure positioned upon said apparatus directly over the pathtaken by said supporting means when traveling upon said conveyor, saidstructure including an endless flap closing means adapted to contactsaid flap as the latter moves with said container supporting meansbeneath said endless means, and said endless means including an openingtherein adapted to receive said flap as the endless means moves relativeto said carton, driving means for said endless means and for saidconveyor, timed means for synchronizing the movement of said conveyorand said endless means whereby said opening will move relative to saidcarton to receive a trailing flap thereof, a flap engaging and liftingmember pivoted upon said apparatus above said path and positionedrelative to said endless means in the direction of movement of saidsupporting means, said member being adapted to pivot about a horizontalaxis extending transversely of the path of movement of said conveyor,the lower end of said member being positioned to engage the free end ofa leading flap of said carton to raise the same as the carton passesbelow said member, and a plow member positioned on the opposite side ofsaid member from said endless means for folding the flap to a closedposition after said flap has been raised by said member.

7. An apparatus for closing the flap of a carton or box comprising incombination, a conveyor having a plurality of car-ton support membersspaced longitudinally from one another and mounted upon said conveyorfor movement therewith to carry said cartons along a predetermined path,a flap closing structure positioned upon said apparatus directly overthe path taken by said support members when traveling upon said conveyorincluding an endless flap closing means mounted upon said flap closingstructure and adapted to contact said flap as the latter moves with saidcontainer support members beneath said endless means, and said endlessmeans also including an opening therein adapted to receive said flap asthe endless means moves relative to said carton, driving means for saidendless means and for said conveyor means, timed means for synchronizingthe movement of said conveyor and said endless means whereby saidopening will move relative to said carton to receive a trailing flapthereof, a hook means pivoted to said apparatus above said path andpositioned relative to said endless means in the direction of movementof said support members, said hook being adapted to pivot about ahorizontal axis extending transversely of the path of movement of saidconveyor, the lower end of said hook being positioned to engage the freeend of a leading flap of said carton to raise the same as the cartonpasses below said hook, a guide means positioned adjacent the endlessmeans and upstream from the hook for placing the free end of said flapin a position aligned with the free end of the hook immediately prior toits engagement by said hook, and a plow member positioned on theopposite side of said hook from said endless means and located at adistance therefrom slightly greater than the pivot radius of said hook.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,991,223 Ledig et al. Feb. 12, 1935 2,425,062 Johnson Aug. 5, 19472,902,810 McGitton Sept. 8, 1959 2,915,868 Copping Dec. 8, 19592,918,773 Krupp et al. Dec. 29, 1959 2,929,183 Magna Mar. 22, 19602,939,260 Ogle et al. June 7, 1960 3,077,062 Brumbaugh Feb. 12, 1963

1. AN APPARATUS FOR CLOSING THE FLAP OF A CARTON OR BOX COMPRISING INCOMBINATION, A CONVEYOR CONSISTING OF A PLURALITY OF CARTON SUPPORTMEMBERS SPACED LONGITUDINALLY FROM ONE ANOTHER AND MOUNTED UPON SAIDCONVEYOR FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH TO CARRY SAID CARTONS ALONG APREDETERMINED PATH, A FLAP CLOSING STRUCTURE POSITIONED UPON SAIDAPPARATUS DIRECTLY OVER THE PATH TAKEN BY SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS WHENTRAVELING UPON SAID CONVEYOR INCLUDING AN ENDLESS FLAP CLOSING MEANSMOUNTED UPON SAID FLAP CLOSING STRUCTURE AND ADAPTED TO CONTACT SAIDFLAP AS THE LATER MOVES WITH SAID CONTAINER SUPPORT MEMBERS BENEATH SAIDENDLESS MEANS, AND SAID ENDLESS MEANS ALSO INCLUDING AN OPENING THEREINADAPTED TO RECEIVE SAID FLAP AS THE ENDLESS MEANS MOVES RELATIVE TO SAIDCARTON, DRIVING MEANS FOR SAID ENDLESS MEANS AND FOR SAID CONVEYORMEANS, TIMED MEANS FOR SYNCHRONIZING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID CONVEYOR ANDSAID ENDLESS MEANS WHEREBY SAID OPENING WILL MOVE RELATIVE TO SAIDCARTON TO RECEIVE A TRAILING FLAP THEREOF, A HOOK MEANS PIVOTED TO SAIDAPPARATUS ABOVE SAID PATH AND POSITIONED RELATIVE TO SAID ENDLESS MEANSIN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS, SAID HOOK BEINGADAPTED TO PIVOT ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THEPATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID CONVEYOR, THE LOWER END OF SAID HOOK BEINGPOSITIONED TO ENGAGE THE FREE END OF A LEADING FLAP OF SAID CARTON TORAISE THE SAME AS THE CARTON PASSES BELOW SAID HOOK, AND A PLOW MEMBERPOSITIONED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID HOOK FROM SAID ENDLESS MEANS ANDLOCATED AT A DISTANCE THEREFROM SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN THE PIVOT RADIUSOF SAID HOOK.